Liberty 'committed' to Lochaber alloy wheels factory project

An artist's impression of the alloy wheels plant

The company building an alloy wheels factory near Fort William has said uncertainty over Brexit and car-making in UK has not affected its plans.

The plant forms part of GFG Alliance's £120m expansion of its Lochaber Smelter.

GFG company Liberty would manufacture the wheels. Production could start next year.

Douglas Dawson, chief executive of Liberty, said the firm remained committed to the "robust" project.

Last week, Nissan confirmed that its new X-Trail originally planned for its Sunderland plant will instead be made in Japan.

In January, Jaguar Land Rover said it was extending its annual April shutdown in car production because of uncertainties around Brexit.

Two million wheels

Mr Dawson said: "There is a lot of uncertainty around Brexit, but the reality is we are still very hopeful we are going to continue manufacturing cars in the UK.

"We are still committed to the plant and the plans here."

He added: "We are very confident there will still be an industry that will need supporting. It is very difficult to imagine the UK won't be making cars any more."

Liberty expects the new factory, which is in the early stages of development, to create hundreds of jobs.

Under the plans, aluminium from the nearby Lochaber Smelter would be used to manufacture up to two million wheels a year for the UK car industry.

The site would supply at least one fifth of all the wheels required by UK vehicle manufacturers.